PRIMARY SCHOOLS SYLLABUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 14

PRIMARY SCHOOLS SYLLABUS.

SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS. WELLINGTON, January 6. The Educational Institute Conference spent a considerable amount of to-day's sitting in discussing- a dozen remits relating- to the school syllabus. The matter was dealt with in committee of the whole, and the conference came to the following conclusion: That the syllabus of work for primary schools is based on sound principles, and is generally well adapted to the needs of our pupils, but that the time has now come when some of 'the details of the syllabus should be reconsidered ar.d amended. The institute recognises the soundness of certain objections to (a) the requirements of the syllabus itself, (b) the way in which these requirements are set out, and (c) tho varying interpretations of those requirements by ciiii'erent school inspectors. The following were suggested as necessary amendments :

That, in writing, encouragement should be given to the acquirement of facility in conjunction with legibility ; That, in selecting subjects for composition, teachers and inspectors should be required to give prominence to those topics of which the children have a first-hand knowledge;

That, in examination tests, there is no objection to the employment of the technical grammatical terms used in the present syllabus, provided that formal definitions of these be not required; That the 6yliabus in arithmetic should be reduced, and also recast so that the burden of work may . be more- equally distributed among the standards. In thies connection attention is directed to the great amount of arithmetic demanded by the New Zealand syllabus as compared with the requirements of the English Board of Education, and that education in this Dominion would gain considerably if a scheme approximating to schema B (England) were adopted; that the heavy arithmetic syllabus irequently interferes with the general progress of the pup.is, as the wore in other subjects is often retarded by the undue amount .of attention given to arithmetic; that it is not advisable to attempt to teach the whole subject in primary schools, Something should be left for high schools, technical echcols, or individual effort outside of school; that, since education sliould aim at adjusting individuals to their environment, arithmetical exercises should be drawn from the actual surroundings of the children, should be in the form used in daily life, should be taught practically, and snouid be suited to the age of the pupils ; that the foundation of success in this subject is unremitting practice in mechanical operations connected with commercial and . every day life, especially mental work; that accuracy, speed, and neatness in mechanical work must be aimed at in all classes; that up to and including Standard VI the greater part, say 60 per cent., of the examination should be mechanical, and should include concrete examples. Tables should be carefully and practically taught; that in. Standards I and II only one principle should bo imtixxluoed into a pirohlem; in Standards 111 and IV not more than two principles should be introduced. That although the A an B courses are equally compulsory in the present airrangement of geography, whereby the B course may be treated in 80 hours, while the extent of the A course demands a verymuch greater allotment of time, there is a comparative neglect of political geography and an undue emphasis of the mathematical anid physical, a.nd the subject generally, especially in the upper standards, is receiving too large a share of the school- time. The institute therefore suggests that there be only one course in geography, comprising all necessary topics; that the teacher be required to draw on his scheme of work for ,these tonics.

That the subjects in history should be cystematically grouped and arranged, and a concentric series of historical readers should be used.

That .geometrical drawing should not be required from girls. That the sewing syllabus be entirely remodelled, eo that it may be treated in an ed'U-ot'.ional manner.

t That in the paragraphs headed " health' and moral instruction" greater emphasis be placed on temperance. That the Education Department be asked to issue periodically a pamphlet similar to the "suggestions" of the English Board of Education.

That 60 hours per year in each of the classes S 3 to 86 be suggested as sufficient time for this subject. That this institute is of opinion that geography should be removed from the list of compulsory subjects or S 6 proficiency examination.

The report was agreed to in open conference without debate.